Creating a partition just for apps

[Jimbo]

I was reading through a couple of older threads and came across one talking about being able to create a partition just for applications. And then being able to create an image and load it again if they were reformatting their hard drive.The advangtage being you wouldn't have to re-install EVERYTHING including personal preferences. I was wondering how you could do this. When it comes to partitions I don't know very much so a step by step process would be very much appreciated. The forum was http://www.codingforums.com/showthread.php?t=37547 . Thanks in advance.

[Ultragames]

When you are installing Windows, you partition the drive. You can choose to have multiple partitions when you do this.

Just so you know. having your own partition for programs, is wonderfull! The only thing that actualy happens when you "reinstall" a program, is it rewrites the reigstry entries for it. Everything else is saved. I suggest having as little as possible on C. That includes your Documents, and everything.

[Basscyst]

Hello,

I just posted somthing similar yesterday. If you use Norton's Ghost or somthing similar it will eliviate the registry problem as well. To actually create the new partition(s) you will need to delete all current partitons. Then reallocate the space as desired (That means one more complete overhaul). Just before you get to the step that actually reformats in WXP setup there are options for creating and deleting your partitions. I usually have my OS partition be about 6 gigs. Just to leave some room for things I may extract to my desktop etc.

Basscyst

[oracleguy]

To take advantage of imaging and all that, you do not have to have a seperate partition for applications if you don't want to. In fact it makes it a little easier with ghost if you don't.

Additionally, you can re-size your paritions and stuff without losing everything if you use a program like ParitionMagic. I think it runs about 60 bucks, I've used it and it works pretty good.

[Jimbo]

Thanks guys, the answers you gave me are just the ones I am looking for. :D

[Ultragames]

You can only resize partitions if they are dynamic. And even then you can only make them smaller.

My suggestion is just wait until its conveniate, to reinstall, and set up multiple partitions. Get everything you can off C.

If at all possible, having C emtpy and on its own drive is the best. Even better than that is have C very empty, and Raided over two drives with nothing else on them. But we are talking OPTIMAL here. You proably dont need all that.

[oracleguy]

You can only resize partitions if they are dynamic. And even then you can only make them smaller.

Not with a third party tool, like I mentioned.

[Jimbo]

Ok, I understand this, but what I need now is to know how to load the ghost image file to the new partition and exactly how to work it.